Keystone: Zettel wins NorAm opener
Austrian Kathrin Zettel, a two-time World Cup winner with 11 other top-3s, won the opening NorAm Super Series giant slalom with a time of 1:59.95. Megan McJames, the 2006 NorAm GS champion, finished her two runs in 2:01.27. Two other U.S. women overcame gusting winds and a strong field of Europeans to finish in the top 15.
AUSTRIAN KATHRIN ZETTEL, a two-time World Cup winner with 11 other top-3s, won the opening NorAm Super Series GS with a time of 1:59.95. Megan McJames, the 2006 NorAm GS champion, finished her two runs in 2:01.27. Two other U.S. women overcame gusting winds and a strong field of Europeans to finish in the top 15.
Jessica Kelley was 13th and Lauren Ross 15th on Keystone's Star Fire Trail on North Peak. Last season, Kelley won her third NorAm GS crown with McJames second in the standings.
"This was the deepest field of talent we've seen in a NorAm in at least five years," said U.S. coach John Hale. The Super Series races are the U.S. portion of the NorAm Cup schedule, which is a key development program leading to the World Cup.
An overnight snowstorm left 8 inches of powder on the course, so coaches and some athletes from all teams helped race organizers slip the course, pushing loose snow to the side to improve conditions. "Keystone's done such a great job in preparing this hill," Hale said, "and it turned out to be a serious, serious race. This was an awesome field of competitors, and all the wind made it even more challenging."
The women run another GS today, then head to Winter Park Resort for two slaloms. The Europeans are participating in the early season Super Series races before they head to Aspen next week for the Audi Aspen Winternational. – USSA contributed to this story.
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | FIS Points |
| 1 | 17 | 55838 | ZETTEL Kathrin | 1986 | AUT | 1:01.06 | 58.89 | 1:59.95 | 6.00 |
| 2 | 24 | 196928 | WORLEY Tessa | 1989 | FRA | 1:00.81 | 59.57 | 2:00.38 | 9.15 |
| 3 | 18 | 505760 | PIETILAE-HOLMNER Maria | 1986 | SWE | 1:01.26 | 59.55 | 2:00.81 | 12.31 |
| 4 | 22 | 206078 | FERNSEBNER Carolin | 1986 | GER | 1:01.65 | 59.36 | 2:01.01 | 13.78 |
| 5 | 1 | 538284 | MCJAMES Megan | 1987 | USA | 1:01.43 | 59.84 | 2:01.27 | 15.68 |
| 6 | 53 | 206160 | RIESCH Susanne | 1987 | GER | 1:01.95 | 59.35 | 2:01.30 | 15.90 |
| 7 | 32 | 315149 | LOLOVIC Jelena | 1981 | SRB | 1:01.89 | 59.59 | 2:01.48 | 17.22 |
| 8 | 45 | 505679 | HANSDOTTER Frida | 1985 | SWE | 1:02.00 | 59.49 | 2:01.49 | 17.30 |
| 9 | 21 | 106468 | LUSTENBERGER Christina | 1984 | CAN | 1:01.98 | 59.54 | 2:01.52 | 17.52 |
| 10 | 16 | 55759 | KIRCHGASSER Michaela | 1985 | AUT | 1:02.35 | 59.34 | 2:01.69 | 18.77 |
| 11 | 42 | 55913 | MOSER Stefanie | 1988 | AUT | 1:01.52 | 1:00.28 | 2:01.80 | 19.57 |
| 12 | 20 | 55898 | BREM Eva-Maria | 1988 | AUT | 1:01.73 | 1:00.17 | 2:01.90 | 20.31 |
| 13 | 4 | 537230 | KELLEY Jessica | 1982 | USA | 1:01.77 | 1:00.24 | 2:02.01 | 21.11 |
| 14 | 10 | 505610 | BORSSEN Therese | 1984 | SWE | 1:02.30 | 1:00.03 | 2:02.33 | 23.46 |
| 15 | 39 | 537145 | ROSS Lauren | 1982 | USA | 1:02.14 | 1:00.27 | 2:02.41 | 24.05 |
| 16 | 28 | 425771 | LOESETH Nina | 1989 | NOR | 1:02.58 | 59.86 | 2:02.44 | 24.27 |
| 17 | 35 | 565315 | ROBNIK Mateja | 1987 | SLO | 1:02.51 | 59.95 | 2:02.46 | 24.41 |
| 17 | 33 | 705287 | ZUZULOVA Veronika | 1984 | SVK | 1:02.44 | 1:00.02 | 2:02.46 | 24.41 |
| 19 | 25 | 196179 | BERTRAND Marion | 1984 | FRA | 1:02.77 | 59.82 | 2:02.59 | 25.37 |
| 20 | 14 | 435210 | GASIENICA DANIEL Agnieszka | 1987 | POL | 1:02.14 | 1:00.48 | 2:02.62 | 25.59 |
| 21 | 6 | 106825 | PREFONTAINE Marie-Pier | 1988 | CAN | 1:02.04 | 1:00.60 | 2:02.64 | 25.73 |
| 22 | 37 | 185271 | LEINONEN Sanni | 1989 | FIN | 1:02.71 | 59.94 | 2:02.65 | 25.81 |
| 22 | 27 | 55818 | KOEHLE Stefanie | 1986 | AUT | 1:02.37 | 1:00.28 | 2:02.65 | 25.81 |
| 24 | 7 | 535585 | STAPLES Kiley | 1989 | USA | 1:02.71 | 1:00.05 | 2:02.76 | 26.62 |
| 25 | 12 | 537768 | HITCHCOCK Katie | 1985 | USA | 1:02.16 | 1:00.67 | 2:02.83 | 27.13 |
| 26 | 29 | 565320 | FERK Marusa | 1988 | SLO | 1:02.91 | 59.97 | 2:02.88 | 27.50 |
| 27 | 15 | 106849 | YURKIW Larisa | 1988 | CAN | 1:02.02 | 1:00.87 | 2:02.89 | 27.57 |
| 28 | 44 | 206099 | PERNER Nina | 1986 | GER | 1:02.51 | 1:00.43 | 2:02.94 | 27.94 |
| 29 | 41 | 385027 | FLEISS Nika | 1984 | CRO | 1:02.81 | 1:00.33 | 2:03.14 | 29.40 |
| 29 | 30 | 425629 | LOESETH Lene | 1986 | NOR | 1:02.89 | 1:00.25 | 2:03.14 | 29.40 |
| 31 | 11 | 537848 | CICCONE Caitlin | 1985 | USA | 1:02.61 | 1:00.79 | 2:03.40 | 31.31 |
| 32 | 26 | 565241 | KOBAL Ana | 1983 | SLO | 1:03.03 | 1:00.93 | 2:03.96 | 35.42 |
| 33 | 60 | 385032 | JELUSIC Ana | 1986 | CRO | 1:02.77 | 1:01.39 | 2:04.16 | 36.89 |
| 34 | 5 | 106410 | DESFORGES Emilie | 1983 | CAN < /td> | 1:03.61 | 1:00.69 | 2:04.30 | 37.91 |
| 35 | 46 | 355040 | NIGG Marina | 1984 | LIE | 1:03.17 | 1:01.36 | 2:04.53 | 39.60 |
| 36 | 38 | 196026 | SANTON Aurelie | 1982 | FRA | 1:03.57 | 1:01.08 | 2:04.65 | 40.48 |
| 37 | 51 | 195972 | AUBERT Sandrine | 1982 | FRA | 1:04.32 | 1:00.38 | 2:04.70 | 40.85 |
| 38 | 55 | 106668 | RYLEY Megan | 1986 | CAN | 1:03.65 | 1:01.20 | 2:04.85 | 41.95 |
| 39 | 19 | 105884 | KELLY Gail | 1979 | CAN | 1:03.65 | 1:01.29 | 2:04.94 | 42.61 |
| 40 | 13 | 537792 | DUKE Hailey | 1985 | USA | 1:03.22 | 1:01.77 | 2:04.99 | 42.98 |
| 41 | 58 | 538471 | COOPER Kirsten | 1988 | USA | 1:04.07 | 1:01.04 | 2:05.11 | 43.86 |
| 42 | 59 | 538470 | CONE Lindsay | 1988 | USA | 1:03.84 | 1:01.59 | 2:05.43 | 46.20 |
| 43 | 3 | 537987 | CARTER Laurel | 1986 | USA | 1:03.26 | 1:02.42 | 2:05.68 | 48.04 |
| 44 | 2 | 537360 | LATHROP Jenny | 1983 | USA | 1:03.99 | 1:02.00 | 2:05.99 | 50.31 |
| 45 | 23 | 196851 | BERTRAND Olivia | 1989 | FRA | 1:02.91 | 1:03.48 | 2:06.39 | 53.25 |
| 46 | 54 | 105920 | SIMMERLING Georgia | 1989 | CAN | 1:04.95 | 1:02.23 | 2:07.18 | 59.04 |
| 47 | 57 | 505461 | HULTDIN Kristina | 1981 | SWE | 1:05.29 | 1:02.50 | 2:07.79 | 63.52 |
| 48 | 76 | 538318 | WEST Ann | 1987 | USA | 1:04.20 | 1:03.73 | 2:07.93 | 64.54 |
| 49 | 68 | 106183 | TERWIEL Elli | 1989 | CAN | 1:05.40 | 1:02.63 | 2:08.03 | 65.28 |
| 50 | 8 | 538041 | MCDONALD Jilyne | 1986 | USA | 1:04.84 | 1:03.59 | 2:08.43 | 68.21 |
| 51 | 81 | 538685 | MCKENNIS Alice | 1989 | USA | 1:05.41 | 1:04.08 | 2:09.49 | 75.99 |
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Did not start 2nd run : KARASINSKA Katarzyna (POL), ZAKOURILOVA Petra (CZE), TRIENDL Katrin (AUT), MIELKE Kristen (USA)
Did not finish 1st run : KLUS Aleksandra (POL), KISTLER Cate (USA), STRACHOTA Maddie (USA), BEATTY Heather (CAN), BYERS Felicia (USA), DURHAM Ashley-Kate (CAN), GRANT Sterling (USA), WILLIAMS Kate (USA), BRIEN Lauren (USA), DE LEYMARIE Florine (FRA), ROSS Laurenne (USA), MUELLER Anne Marie (NOR)
Did not finish 2nd run : LEGGETT Kristin (USA), GOODMAN Anna (CAN), PARKER Alexandra (CAN), HARTMAN Katie (USA), STRENG Simone (AUT)
Disqualified 1st run :CHEVALIER Joelle (USA)
Did not qualify :
SMITH Sarah (USA), O BRIEN Holly (USA), WONG Julia (USA), ACKERMAN Delainey (USA), MCDONALD Amanda (USA), LEONARD Molly (USA), WALES Brooke (USA), HOSTETTER Mary Rachel (USA), GOYER Marie-Maude (CAN), JACOBSON Erica (USA), COLLINSON Angel (USA), IRWIN Madison (CAN), WETTLAUFER Georgia (USA), VAILLANCOURT Melissa (CAN), ROTTER Corrinne (USA), ALLEN Jennifer (USA), NADLER Rebecca (CAN), FORD Julia (USA), GHENT Erika (USA), LEPINE Marie-Elaine (CAN), DAUTHERIVES Claire (FRA), SERWA Kelsey (CAN), FRY Kayla (USA), HAMMOND Courtney (USA), ROUTHIER Eve (CAN), RYLEY Kate (CAN), EDER Lauren (USA), NOVOSELIC Sofija (CRO), CREMA Katya (AUS), JANOWIAK Lyndee (USA)
About the Author: Pete Rugh
